Rafael is a fellow for the Center for Asian American Media and currently receives mentorship from Tadashi Nakamura.At age six, Rafael’s creative journey started when he used his mom’s film camera to capture his older sister during a dance performance in the Philippines. Early exposure to the arts sparked his creativity, which came into focus years later. As a 7th grader in Kodiak Island, Alaska, he documented the life of a retired Filipina nurse and teacher. Since then, he has been committed to filming unscripted documentaries centered on overlooked stories, (particularly Filipina/o Americans in Alaska). In 2016, Rafael represented the Kodiak History Museum at the National Arts and Humanities Youth Programs Award, where Michelle Obama highlighted his contributions to photography and filmmaking. Rafael’s work has garnered support from the Alaska State Council on the Arts and the Alaska Humanities Forum. Beyond film projects, he teaches filmmaking to youth and educators across Alaska through the nonprofit, See Stories. The power of film and service fuels him to uplift others with dignity. Rafael is a Coca-Cola, Horatio Alger, and Live Más Scholar, who holds a B.S. in Hotel Administration from Cornell University.